Heart of the wolf: Book one
by solarsweets
Summary: Hound has always been disregarded, a small creature in her large pack. She learns quickly as she is exiled, she is a small creature in a large prophecy from Starclan.
1. Prologue

**!This is a rewrite from another account that I lost, it is also on Wattpad!**

Jay that sings at dawn glanced down at her two kits, eyes warm with love. She was a night owl, and while others were asleep she was wide awake, watching the forest outside of the caves. She was about to doze off when she heard loud rustling. Her ears twitched as others stirred and woke up, confused.

"Wolves!" A to-be screeched, cowering behind her siblings.

The cats jumped up as the wolves dove into camp, biting and snarling at cats. Jay froze for a moment, unsure of what was going on.

"Jay, We need to get your kits out!" A queen, Night broken by the moon, ushered.

Jay nodded quickly, grabbing the two kits and crawling through a bracken wall to avoid the snarling creatures. She ran, though her kits were crying in protest.

A bark from behind her caused her to hesitate for a moment, enough time for a wolf to bite at her ankle. She opened her mouth to let out a yowl of pain, dropping the kit she held in her mouth, before tearing away from the wolf and crawling up a tree with her other kit on her backbone.

Cream didn't risk attacking, as during the trip to rid of the sharpclaws she had given birth to three pups, two of them didn't survive the journey, causing her mate, the alpha male, to feel horrible about bringing her along. She had nestled in a small hole created by a tree adjusting and falling over.

She had almost fallen asleep with her pup way ahead of her when she heard cries of a sharpclaw kit. She wanted to ignore it, but an instinct overtook her and she crawled out of the den and snatched the kit. Cream retreated to the den and set the pup down with her own, glancing down at the two, she had already named her pup Claw, due to one of his claws, which was pure white. The sharpclaw kit was jet black, with long fur.

"Hound."


	2. Chapter 1

"Sootstep?" Toadstar mumbled in a worried tone, peeking in the medicine den through the bramble sheet that protected the herbs from drying, and sickness to stay in the den. A brown she-cat with black front paws turned, her eyes dilating as she pushed the sheet away.

"Yes, Toadstar?" She asked with a slick voice.

"I've had a dream from StarClan, I thought only you and Foxpaw could have dreams like that but- but-" He looked at her, desperate.

"Ah, come in." She ushered, closing the screen behind him.

"What was it?" She asked, as his gaze got distant, he began.

 _Toadstar had fallen into a deep sleep after his two kits became apprentices, knowing well._

 _He felt a cold breeze rush through his thick, yet short tuxedo fur. Confused, he raised his head and opened his eyes, as they widened in shock._

 _He was in a forest, everything was normal but the look, it was starry and bright, looking as if there were no imperfections. He rose to his feet, looking around until his shocked gaze reached a less-shocked StarClan cat._

 _'' The howl of a wolf may shatter the ice.'' The cat said._

"HOOᴏouᴜND!" Hound was roughly awoken by her brother, Claw. She grumbled, opening an eye

"What?!" She yipped.

"Let's play deer!" He crouched, Cuffing her with his paw. Hound pushed his paw away, jumping up.

"Okay! You're the deer!" She grinned, running after him as he sprinted out of the den and around camp.

She closed her eyes as the wind hit her face, running into someone else.

"Watch it, beetle!" Hound looked up, recognizing it as Stream. Her blue eyes dug holes into Hound's bright green ones.

"S-Sorry!" She yelped.

Stream glared before walking over the kit, kicking her and causing her to tumble into the grass.

Hound yelped, waiting until Stream walked off, then sitting down.

Claw didn't come back for a while, but when he did a smile was plastered on his face.

"Two more days~" He chanted.


	3. Chapter 2

Hound scrunched up her face, yet almost instantly knew what her brother was talking about- they were almost ready to become trainees! She shook off her past conflict, raising to her paws.

"Stop running around, claw!" She whined, throwing herself onto his back, causing them both to tumble to the ground.

Hound gazed up at the wolves surrounding her and claw, before blinking up at the two alphas standing upon a pile of earth.

"Claw, you will be trained as a guard, Rat will train you." Claw glanced behind him at the black scarred wolf, grinning from ear to ear. That would mean he had a future chance as leader!

"Hound..." Ash's voice was tinged with venom, yet it slipped Hound's ears.

"You will be trained as a hunter, Crow will teach you all he knows, despite your... size."

Hound only thought about his unkind words for a moment before looking at the large wolf beside her, fear rising in her chest.

"Um- I- uh... hi." She whispered.

Crow glared down at her. "Don't think I'll go easy on you, training starts now."

Hound nodded, following the wolf as he led her to the forest, into a sand clearing. She attempted to spot all his flaws, in order to make her feel better.

1\. He has dull eyes

2\. He has matted fur

3\. He's cold as-

"Hound!" Crow snapped, shaking her from her feel-good thoughts.

"Wha-" She froze at his icy glare.

"Show me a hunting crouch." He ordered. "As you obviously won't grow in size, I'll only teach you basic rabbit-hunting for now." He put his paw on her back, adjusting her crouch.

"Tail down."

"Like this?" She hovered her tail from the ground

"Yes."

He stepped back, as if eyeing his artwork, silently judging her.

"See if you can smell out something."

She raised her muzzle into the air, smelling the forests greens.

Aha! She thought A squirrel! She followed the scent, instinctively stepping away from any leaves or sticks. As she was about to pounce, the rustling of an intruder squirrel caused them both to sprint up a tree, leaving Hound dumbfounded.

Crow cringed, padding up to Hound.

"You just missed a chance for two squirrels." He scolded

"B-But they ran up the tree!" She whined, throwing herself to her feet.

"But you're a lo-" He seemed to catch himself, closing his eyes before walking away

"Catch five pieces of prey if you want to eat tonight." He said, padding to the clearing.

Hound gasped for air as she leapt down at the rabbit she had chased for so long, tearing out its throat. She looked to the sun, by the time she started, it was dawn, now the sun was being devoured by the land, soon to be replaced to the moon.

Crow couldn't expect a lot- I mean- It's my first day training! She thought, Carrying the prey to the clearing, dropping it with the other four creatures.

"I'm not 100% dissapointed, good job." He sneered, grabbing all the prey before walking away, leaving one rabbit.

"That's your food for tonight." He said stiffly.

Hound looked down at the rabbit, more than happy as she sunk her teeth into the prey, devouring it.

She returned to the pack, running to the incline in a small cliff where Claw had rested, she curled beside him before drifting off into a troubled slumber.


	4. Chapter 3

Hound yawned, standing up before opening her eyes. She looked forward, hesitating before turning around. Where was she? Had she sleepwalked into the forest? She glanced down after realizing a chill around her paws, she was standing in a stream. She had just now realised how thirsty she was, lapping up at the stream. She turned to look down the stream, it led to a river. As it was still night, the river had a mysterious black tint.

Her gaze softened, turning into a more lazy one before she noticed.

The dark river wasn't made of water, and whatever it could be was slowly seeping into the stream.

She froze.

Her hackles rose quickly, she closed her eyes for a single moment before beginning to take her paws out of the water.

. . .

She looked down, the black substance had already reached her paws, and held her to place.

Taken a prisoner by fear, she began to writhe around until she located her scents.

She was chin-deep in the substance, and the smell wafted to her nose, it smelled of blood. Suddenly, the substance released her from the grip, when she took her paws out, blood coated her.

She opened her jaws to let out a yowl, though it was futile, as no sound came.

Hound was shaken awake, confused for half a second before looking up to see Claw.

"Yeah?" She rasped, shaking dirt from her fur before rising to her feet.

"It's almost time for our second day of training! I-" They both winced as the smell of blood wafted in the incline.

"That's wolf blood, I learned so from-" Claw informed before cutting himself off and turning to where the smell was wafting from.

The middle of camp.

Laying there was the she-alpha.

Their mother.


	5. Chapter 4

Cream had a small hole in her head, which was pooling blood. Her once-soft fur was coated with the thick-smelling liquid. Claw pushed past Hound, running to the scene. Hound hesitated, remembering what she had said the last day.

 _Hound stalked through the forest, attempting to catch any scent of prey, Crow had forced her to catch five pieces of prey- on her first day! She snorted, glaring at the ground until a strange scent reached her nose._

 _She lifted her head to see an upwalker camp, it seemed temporary, as it wasn't the big dens she saw at the city, but a large monster-den hybrid. Her hackles rose, as she made the choice to tell Cream and Ash later, and not alert the whole pack._

This choice had changed her life forever.

Cream must've went out searching, after Ash seemed not to believe Hound.

Now, the weight of her mother's murder lay upon her shoulders.

The small trainee barely noticed Ash's howl for a meeting, wolves gathered around with their heads held low. Hound sat next to her brother, her shoulders sagged.

"You all know of Cream's death, shot by an Upwalker with a thunderstick." He paused, before continuing "What none of you know, is that it is Hound's fault!" Ash howled, his voice swelling.

Gasps arose from the wolves, as Claw's fur bristled.

"How?! She didn't lure the upwalker here!" Claw barked out, Ash giving him a stern look

"She told Cream and I about the upwalker, Cream felt that it would be best if she scared it off. It is Hound's fault, for not alerting the pack!"

Hound's pupils dilated, opening her mouth to give off a horrified look.

"Aha- Yes." The alpha's eyes were now crazed. "What few of you know, is that Cream wasted her life for a sharpclaw!"

Hound gasped, It couldn't be true, Ash was lying!

"A sharpclaw, cat, a vermin among us!" Claw was now whimpering at his father's words, giving Hound no comfort.

Wolves glared at the cat with mixed feelings as their alpha continued.

"Hound, You will be banished for murder, and being a filthy sharpclaw!" The alpha spat, with pure poison in his tone. "Claw, escort her out." Wolves gave her a sharp nip on the hindquarter as she padded out of camp.

Claw attempted to walk beside her, but it provided no help. She slammed her paws against the rock of the edge territory, gazing at the downward spiral that broke into a forest. It was beautiful, but she had no time to take in the beauty, as snow pecked her nose.

Hound knew a blizzard was coming, she had heard from others that it came every year around this time. Bears would be less active, so she hoped that she wouldn't run into one. Hound turned to her brother.

"You promise when you're big and strong- you'll help the pack? A-Ash seems strong, but he's been talking to the other betas about The Pack Of Countless Dawns threatening to overtake us- and with Mother-"

"Claw, I promise." Hound whispered, nuzzling her adoptive-brother. "I'll be back, with lots of others, and we will put that evil pack into place."

"You-you know, Ash didn't really mean it. He l-loves you, b-but I think he's- he's just sad." Hound didn't believe it, but at least it gave her some hope.

"Goodbye, brother." She whispered, turning tail and sliding down the mountain.


	6. Chapter 5

_Hound had found_ an empty tree-trunk a few nights after she had said goodbye to Claw. She had been walking for all of those days, not taking time to sleep or hunt, as her mind seemed distant. It was seemingly clear why she had gotten taunted by the trainees, but why would Cream ever accept her as a pup?

Walking was a challenge, since it had began to snow heavily, and the ancestors seemed to enjoy every flake of the ice, as the snow didn't waver for a single moment. She knew that, she was in a blizzard.

She curled into the tree-trunk, tucking her gray nose into her tail and drifting away quickly, despite the downpour of snow.

 _Thunder crashed above Hound's head, as she circled around. She was in a forest, yet said forest seemed to be a vision, as the trees surrounding her were vaguely transparent. She gazed up to the skies, stars glittered silverpelt, yet there was no lightning._

 _Coming to think of it, this wasn't thunder at all, but voices pounding into her ears._

 _She couldn't trace any voice, it seemed that they were all different, coming at once._

 _''Fire alone-'' The voice was louder than most, yet it was consumed by another._

 _''There shall be three, kin of your kin, that-'' The voice rang into her ears briefly, until all was molded into one loud voice._

 _''The howl of a wolf may shatter blood.''_

Hound was rudely awoken by a shattering cold cutting deep into her veins. She cursed herself, how could she be so dumb, not putting anything down to block the snow?! She opened her eyes sharply to take in the snow covering her.

Her fur felt like it was iced over, as she crawled out of the den.

She could barely feel her feet as she trudged along the forest. She knew of this curse, it happened whenever a weak, or young, wolf went out into a blizzard alone. It usually started from the ears, paws, eyes, or nose. At first, your nose got runny, and once Hound checked, that was happening.

Then your ears and nose got freezing cold. Hound knew instantly that she was cold all over. Paws would get numb and cold, then you would get tired and- The ancestors took you afterwards.

Hound shuddered not just because of the horrid thought of dying so young, but because of the snow that had slowed, but was still dropping from the skies.

She knew it was still day because of the sun's reflection on the snow. Speaking of snow, it seemed so peaceful, like a feathery nest that she could curl up to. She hadn't gotten a full rest, if you could call that nightmare a rest, and was desperate for sleep.

If her nose wasn't numb at the moment, she would've noticed the strange markers that she had invaded just seconds ago. She was much too busy looking around for anything comfy. She settled on the snow, and almost instantly fell limp to the innocent-looking white pillow. The last thing she remembered was the hunger eating away at her stomach... and dancing shadows vibrating across the snow.

~

"Adderpaw, it's freezing! We won't catch anything anyways, why can't we go back?" Streampaw whined, walking behind Adderpaw, and carefully putting each of her paws in his steps so she wouldn't step in a hole covered by snow.

"We can't go back to the camp 'till we find that pheasant Ravenmask saw!"

"But we don't know if it was even a pheasant!"

"Well, Ravenmask wouldn't lie."

Streampaw paused, catching something from the corner of her eye.

"Is that... a wolf pup?" She blinked, walking to the black lump of fur laying in the snow.

"It smells faintly of one, but also a cat." She continued, as Adderpaw stood next to her.

"Well, it looks and smells like a cat. Must be one." Adderpaw declared. "Let's just get it to camp." He said, softer.

Streampaw pulled the apprentice-sized cat, wincing at how stiff and cold the poor thing was.

"We gotta hurry." Streampaw rushed to the camp, cats staring at her and the cat. Sootstep padded out of the medicine den, gasping almost instantly at what she saw.

"What in stars name, is that a frozen kit?"


	7. Chapter 6

_Hound felt warm and fuzzy, like she was floating in a pile of feathers. Glancing around, she was in the same forest that she had her nightmare in. She winced, until realising it sounded like a normal forest._

Wait.

 _She heard of a forest like this in tales, were these the ancestor forests?_

 _Fear rose down her spine, was she dead?_

 _She cowered to the ground, black fuzz rising in the corners of her eyes._

 _She closed her eyes, not wanting to open them._

 _"Wake up" The voice hit her ears, it was of an old tomcat. She shook in fear. What a way to go. She_

"Is she awake?" A young female voice whispered

"I'm not sure, it's best not to be too close, in case she's sick." An older female said.

Pawsteps could be heard retreating.

Hound tilted her head in the nest she was in. Fur brushed against her own, and she felt like a pup- kit, again.

She opened her eyes, shooting up instantly as she realised an old she-cat had been warming her.

"Sharpcl- Who are you?!" Hound snapped, her fur rising.

"I am Sootstep of ThunderClan. You showed up on our territory, half-dead, who are _you_ , and where might you be from?" The cat said sweetly.

Hound blinked, confused for a moment

"I am Hound, I've lived for wolves for as long as I remember, until they banished me... I am six moons, in my ranks I would be a trainee." She said, attempting to sound mature. "My elders have told me tales about lots of cats living together in a... clan..." She didn't want to beg for anything. "I suppose I will join your clan, since I have nowhere to go."

Sootstep blinked, amusement filling her gaze.

"You can't just join randomly, Toadstar will decide if he accepts you." She meowed. "Living with a pack of wolves? How strange. Wolves are like big dogs, how'd you never know you weren't one?"

Hound's gaze faltered, yet she refused to be put down. Why should she be refused to join a clan of Sharpclaws? She was to be a great member of any pack, or clan!

Cats, she meant cats.

"Sootstep, I've got a thorn stuck in my paw." A muffled voice sounded, pushing off the screen door and padding into the den.

Hound blinked when a tom-cat, with dilute tabby fur and sharp blue eyes padded in the den.

"Ah, alright, Hawkscar." Sootstep motioned for him to sit down, grabbing the thorn between her teeth and pulling it out.

Hound growled at the tom, not used to being close to so many cats. The cat noticed her, returning the gesture. Hound's hackles rose, yet she kept quiet. She dipped her head down, resting her tired muscles.


End file.
